Morning mail: Dfat warning before Afghanistan visit, international vaccine passport plan, woolly mammoths

Tuesday: Marise Payne was advised to shut Kabul embassy before meeting with then president Ashraf Ghani. Plus: scientists aim to bring woolly mammoth back from extinction

Good morning. There is light at the end of the tunnel for families waiting to reunite across international borders, with plans for digital declarations that include vaccination status set to facilitate international travel. There are ongoing concerns about the future of Afghanistan and its relations with Gulf countries. And there might be an unexpected future for the woolly mammoth.

Vaccine passports for international travel are one step closer after the federal government awarded a contract to international IT company Accenture for new digital passenger declarations. The system will allow Australians to use MyGov to upload proof of vaccination to a QR code linked to their passport. The home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, said the declaration “will support the safe reopening of Australia’s international borders … This will help us to welcome home increasing numbers of Australians, and welcome the tourists, travellers, international students, skilled workers and overseas friends and family we’ve all been missing during the pandemic”. While the New South Wales and Victorian governments have indicated vaccine passports will probably be required for pubs, clubs and major events, the Australian Capital Territory has indicated it will probably not require them.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/14/morning-mail-dfat-warning-before-afghanistan-visit-vaccine-passport-plan-woolly-mammoths

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